Old Wine In A New Bottle – Reviving The Traditional Textiles

 

India is nothing if not its traditions, heritage, and history! I, for one, would never miss a chance to wear my grandmother’s beautiful delicate old silk sarees, well with not her kind of panache, but I would like to believe that old traditions have an unbeatable amount of charm that you just can’t un-see. We are the fortunate citizens of a country who saw the birth and unprecedented evolution of art, history & craftsmanship. Intricate designs with seeming fluid effortlessness are what our craftsmen’s forte is. Sadly, for the longest time, the presence of traditional textiles and designs were side-lined and were on the verge of extinction. But the times are changing and so is the plight of all those dead and long-lost heritage-inspired prints, textiles and designs, now the understanding of ancient designs and the use of innovative traditional crafts and techniques has created a new classicism.

The technique of block printing which has its roots in India dates back to as early as the 15th century. It’s an ancient technique where essentially, a carved material covered in Ink is used to transfer motifs, designs, images on to paper or fabric. Now, how many of us are guilty of stocking up all our ethnic clothes (in a well-preserved manner, of course!) in one side of the cupboard and only thought of taking it out occasionally?

 

This is what the trend is, this is what the new norm is and we see it every day, creating this cult where women don’t have to choose particular sides of traditions and modern. The new fashion age has found a way of keeping the traditions and heritage of old textiles intact while constantly changing with the modern times in regards to the silhouettes and trends. This has given birth to contemporary designs with Indian motifs and techniques like block printing, bandhani, gotta work and hand dyeing along with ancient embroideries like zardozi and aari.

Oh also, don’t be amazed to see the blend of Indian design and textiles when next time you watch me wearing it like a lady boss. I believe in raising the Indian craft and heritage empowering with all the ethnic vibe.

Whoever said you can’t have best of both worlds, definitely needs to visit Lyla.

I’m proud to be a Lylawoman. Are you?